Welcome to Luxury For Less, a weekly column highlighting the best deals in luxury real estate. Written by Brandy Schantz of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Luxury For Less offers tips and tricks navigating the competitive real estate market and securing the home of your dreams. To learn more, visit ttrsir.com.

Monday was a holiday in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. In 1994, Congress designated this day as a national day of service and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

This federal agency that leads service and volunteering, launched an effort to make the third Monday in January a “day on, not a day off.” In honor of Monday’s day of service, I would like to highlight volunteer opportunities in the Tyson’s Corner area that you can dedicate some time to throughout the year.

Volunteer service has always been an essential principal in my life and I am proud to be a member of an organization such as TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, a brokerage firm that truly supports local communities.

Nationalservice.gov highlights volunteer opportunities in your area. These opportunities are typically available all year round and always in need of help. Volunteer Fairfax declares volunteering a new year’s resolution worth keeping.

Their website has a database of local opportunities so you can find the right one for you. If you can’t find something there, Volunteer Match offers another database of opportunities and don’t forget to get your kids involved! There are many benefits to volunteering and I hope that 2019 can be a year of service for you.

Now back to house hunting! It’s brutally cold outside so head inside to a great open house this weekend or look at some of these warm interiors:

• 6616 Jill Court McLean (Reduced $25,900)
• 7507 Fisher Drive Falls Church (Reduced $151,000)
• 495 River Forest Drive Great Falls (Reduced $149,000)
• 9102 White Chimney Lane Great Falls (Reduced $20,000)
• 514 SW Meadow Lane Vienna (Reduced $30,000)
• 7008 Churchill Road McLean (Reduced $40,000)

The properties listed are a small selection of properties available in the Tyson’s Corner area. For a full list of properties listed on MLS and private exclusives, please contact Brandy Schantz.

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

You know what’s even more cut throat than daycare registration in Northern Virginia? Summer camp registration. Watch out parents, those registrations start EARLY and they fill up fast.

McLean Registration —  McLean has already released the 2019 camp catalog. Registration for McLean residents starts February 4, and everyone else can register starting February 11. My son did the McLean Camp for 3 year-olds last year, where they bring in entertainment and have water play on site.

Fairfax County Registration — Begins on February 7. You can search the available camps on the Partakes website. They will upload a full camp guide soon.

Town of Vienna — Summer Camp registration starts in early April for town residents, and usually the week after for everyone else. They have a variety of camps offered, so it’s great if you have a random week to fill in, or maybe just want a few hours in the morning before the pool opens.

Personally, my son did the “Learn to Ride a Bike Camp” and it was great for him. He went from training wheels to riding on his own in 3-4 days. They also did an art and lego class which was good, especially for a one day drop off if your kids are close in age. You’ll be able to find the camp options here in a few weeks.

Below is a list of private schools who offer camp options that run all summer if you want more continuity:

• Congo Camp (Congressional School, Falls Church)
• The Langley School (McLean)
• The Potomac School (McLean)
• Brooksfield School (McLean)
• Camp TRS (Temple Rodef Shalom, Falls Church)
• Summer on the Hill (Flint Hill School, Oakton) – they’re hosting a Washington Nationals Baseball Camp
• Vienna Youth Sports Camps (Vienna)
• Chesterbrook Academy (Vienna)
• Harmonia School of Music and Art (Vienna)

Northern Virginia complied a list of the best summer camps of 2017 here!

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

We represent employees in Virginia who have been terminated in retaliation for whistleblowing. Whistleblower cases are unique and present their own unique challenges.

Employees are advised to seek counsel as early in the process as possible if they believe that they have been terminated (or will be terminated) in retaliation for whistleblower activities.

Whistleblower Law in Virginia

In Virginia, if a whistleblower reports alleged wrongdoing or states that they intend to report it, this can subject the employer to a civil lawsuit for retaliation if it falls under certain criteria. While Virginia is an at-will state, and employees may be fired for any reason or no reason at all, exceptions can apply.

In the past 30 years, exceptions to this general rule have started to emerge in Virginia. One such exception involves employee termination in retaliation for whistleblowing.

The Virginia courts carved out this exception to the at-will doctrine in the 1985 case of Bowman v. State Bank of Keysville. Other rules on whistleblowing can apply to federal employees and state or local employees. This article focuses on private company employees in Virginia.

What Kind of Retaliation is Covered?

An employer may not terminate an employee for reporting an issue that relates to the public policy of Virginia. An employee has a potential claim for wrongful discharge when the basis for the discharge violates public policy.

In order to determine what constitutes public policy, Virginia courts have pointed to statutes to determine if an issue has been endorsed by the state (e.g., the right to collect unemployment compensation benefits if eligible) or prohibited (e.g., criminal laws prohibiting perjury).

Example: Employer is sued for a personal injury by a shopper in their department store. Employee Jim Smith is a witness to the injury. The employer asks the employee to lie in court so that they won’t be liable. Mr. Smith refuses to lie in court. Employee A testifies truthfully and is then fired.

Statutory Whistleblower Retaliation in Virginia

In addition to the exceptions carved out by the Virginia courts, the Virginia General Assembly has passed specific statutory protections for certain activities. Employees who engage in protected activities under laws in certain areas are also protected from retaliation. These include asbestos, lead, and home inspection contractors; occupational safety and health issues; and workers’ compensation.

However, because the Virginia assembly has not passed a general whistleblower protection statute, most workers have to rely on the exceptions carved out by the courts to pursue a whistleblower claim. The courts in Virginia have seen an increase in the number of these types of cases in recent years.

I believe that more cases will expand this doctrine as Northern Virginia grows and exerts influence in Richmond for these types of employment protections.

The most usual remedies for Bowman Whistleblower claims can include:

• Reinstatement
• Damages
• Lost Benefits
• Attorneys fees

Conclusion

If you are in need of employment law advice representation, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook or Twitter.

Fairfax County’s aerial photography can offer a view of the startling growth of some some parts of the area, charting Merrifield‘s growth from a lonely drive-in theater to today’s Mosaic District, changes to Tysons Galleria and the commercial properties around Route 7, and Tysons East’s transformation from suburbs to an urban center.

But McLean’s story is more like Maple Avenue’s, where rapid growth has been followed by decades of stagnation.

An ongoing effort to update zoning for downtown McLean, called the McLean Community Business Center (CBC), has faced pushback from some local residents who say the plans will transform McLean into a new Tysons-style development.

While the town of McLean was founded in 1902, aerial photography shows that even as late as the 1960s there wasn’t a developed center of town. The first developments in the CBC, like McLean House Condominiums in the northeast corner and Langley Shopping Center a little south of that, show up in photography from the 1970s.

Between then and 1990, much of the area along Old Dominion Drive was developed and new shopping centers bloomed at the southern edge of downtown McLean.

But in all of the photography between 1990 and 2017, that development grinds to a halt. At several of the McLean CBC meetings, locals lamented that McLean didn’t really have a “sense of place” and that much of the downtown was defined by gas stations on every corner and vacant buildings.

The plans for the CBC call for changing some of the transportation routes through the downtown McLean to make the area more pedestrian friendly and allowing new, mostly residential and commercial developments downtown.

Welcome to Luxury For Less, a weekly column highlighting the best deals in luxury real estate. Written by Brandy Schantz of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Luxury For Less offers tips and tricks navigating the competitive real estate market and securing the home of your dreams. To learn more, visit ttrsir.com.

The big question on everyone’s mind right now is, “How will the government shutdown affect the housing market?”

The honest answer right now is, not that much. While there are many people who are opting to wait until this is over to buy, it hasn’t affected the overall market just yet. Time will tell how much it will affect the market but according to the National Association of Realtors, 75% of realtors have experienced no impact at all.

This prompted me to think of the VA loan, a loan I am very familiar with as an Army veteran myself and one that is not affected by the current shutdown. I thought this would be a great time to discuss how you can use your VA loan to get into an expensive real estate market such as this one.

When many people think of VA loans, they think of low limits and young soldiers trying to buy a home with little or no money down. In the D.C. metro area, we are surrounded more by senior officers and retired military who are embarking on their second career than young soldiers. The VA loan can be a great loan for those active military and veterans to get into what seems like an impossible market.

First, the VA loan “limit” is not a limit at all. It’s just the amount you can borrow with no money down. Any amount above that limit, $726,525 for the D.C. metro area, requires a down payment of 25%. For example; if you are purchasing a home for $1.3M, you are responsible for a 25% down payment of $573,475 or $143,368.

The VA loan has many benefits including possible lower interest rates so I encourage those who are eligible to consider using their VA loan rather than a conventional loan.

To better understand what loan programs work best for you, be sure to contact an experienced loan professional. To learn more about how the VA loan can work for you, contact my go to VA loan professional, Heather Devoto at [email protected].

Now check out some of this week’s luxury properties for less:

• 9222 Brian Drive Vienna (Reduced $100,000)
• 9134 Ermatrude Court Vienna (Reduced $34,900)
• 6928 Butternut Court McLean (Reduced $50,000)
• 6806 Lupine Lane McLean (Reduced $425,000)
• 10127 Nedra Drive Great Falls (Reduced $35,000)

The properties listed are a small selection of properties available in the Tyson’s Corner area. For a full list of properties listed on MLS and private exclusives, please contact Brandy Schantz.

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Val Sotillo, Northern Virginia-based Realtor and Falls Church resident. Please submit your questions to her via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: Are there certain considerations to be aware of when re-listing your home in the spring/summer market if you listed and then pulled it during the fall/winter market? Are there things that you would need to fix up in a slow winter market that you could let slide in a hotter market?

Answer: You’ve been on the market for months, had a few interested buyers, but nothing has stuck. Your house is still for sale during the coldest and darkest days of the year so you’re asking if you should pull your listing and wait for the market to heat back up in the spring.

There are three scenarios that I’ll consider advising sellers to take their home off the market during the winter:

• You are living in the home, are under no pressure to sell, have been on the market for more than 60 days without an acceptable offer and have exhausted conversations with any buyers who have shown interest.
• You have received feedback from agents and potential buyers that the home needs work and you will take time over the winter to make the necessary improvements, providing that the cost of those improvements will net you better terms than an immediate price reduction and avoiding additional carry cost.
• A key selling point of your home is landscaping and/or a view that is difficult to recognize during the winter.

Pros & Cons Of Re-Listing

Pro: More Buyers. The number of homes that go under contract drops substantially from November-January and picks up quickly in February. On average, the number of new purchase contracts more than doubles by March compared to December and January.

Pro: Faster Sales. The increase is buyer activity (demand) results in homes selling a lot faster in the spring/summer.

Con: Not Necessarily Higher Prices. The increased buyer activity impacts days on market a lot more than it does pricing. The amount somebody is willing to pay or qualified to pay for a home often does not change based on the season, rather larger economic factors.

Con: If you decide to re-list in the spring, you are probably planning to do so at a higher price. Be careful with this decision because agents and buyers have easy access to previous asking prices and if you have not made any substantial capital investments to your home to justify the increase, most buyers will base their negotiations on your previous asking price, not the new one.

Pro: If you’re off-market for 60 days or more, your days on market count officially resets to zero when you re-list. This is a system rule for BRIGHT (the database of record for agents), although most buyers use sites that show the full listing history and can easily see that something was withdrawn and re-listed.

The Spring Isn’t Easier

Don’t ease up on the marketing of your home in the spring just because there are more active buyers than the winter. You will be competing against 2-3 times more homes for sale so you could make a case that you need to do even more to stand out in the spring, not less.

However, if you’re on a budget, you may want to allocate your repair, improvement and staging funds differently based on the season such as the warmth of the family room in the winter vs outdoor dining in the spring.

If You Decide To Keep It On The Market

Read More

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

Happy Snow Day!

You know what stir-crazy parents and kids need on a day where we got almost a foot of snow? To get out! If you’re lucky enough to live on a sloped lot or on a street with a good angle, happy sledding.

For those of you looking to find a good place to go sledding, here’s my list of the best places to go sledding in Vienna and McLean:

Vienna

• There’s a small hill at Meadow Lane Park on the baseball field. It’s small enough for little kids who might be scared, but enough to give them some speed.
• Westbriar Elementary School (behind the school).
• Cunningham Park Elementary — has a big hill that’s great for picking up speed.
• Wolftrap (the theatre) — there’s 2 places at Wolfrap, the “Bowl” and the “Big Hill.”
• Marshall Road Elementary — in the back there’s a small hill.

McLean

• Westgate Park — there’s a hill behind the 2nd baseball field.
• Lemon Road Elementary — has a large hill.
• Franklin Sherman Elementary School

McLean can be hilly in areas, so some of the best sledding is likely right in your neighborhood. Don’t forget to watch out for cars if you’re on a road. Stay safe!

If you’re looking for some other ideas on playing in the snow, one mom hack that I found is to mix cold water with food coloring and put it in a squeeze bottle. I call it “snow paint.” My kids love it!

Happy Sledding!

Welcome to Luxury For Less, a weekly column highlighting the best deals in luxury real estate. Written by Brandy Schantz of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Luxury For Less offers tips and tricks navigating the competitive real estate market and securing the home of your dreams. To learn more, visit ttrsir.com.

The real estate market is leaping into the new year with confidence. In the first week of the new year, 44 homes in the Tysons Corner region came on market either for the first time or after a holiday break.

As a matter of fact, the holidays did not stop the real estate market at all. In the month of December, 264 homes closed and 68 went under contract. This is within 1% of the closed homes in December of 2017 proving that in this area, there is always a market for sales.

The winter months can be a challenging time to buy or sell real estate with unpredictable weather, holiday celebrations and the focus on resolutions not real estate. It can also be a great time to move quickly and act strategically.

The spring market is well known for it’s bidding wars, abundance of open houses and buyers and sellers alike dipping their toes in the water to see how it feels. The winter market, in contrast, has buyers and sellers who are serious and ready to move.

For sellers, this means fewer people just checking out their home in case they decide to make a leap in the future and more people who are ready to write a contract. For buyers, there are fewer bidding wars and a better opportunity to buy a home without competition. Sellers who put their home on the market in winter are also more likely to be ready to sell, meaning they aren’t testing the market to see how high they can price. They price to sell! Fewer homes on the market mean less choice but a great opportunity to get a great home before the market heats up.

This week has quite a few great homes on the market at a great new price. Check out the homes recently reduced this week:

• 9222 Dellwood Drive Vienna (Reduced $50,000)
• 402 Spring Street S Falls Church (Reduced $30,000)
• 10150 Akhtamar Drive Great Falls (Reduced $40,000)
• 2722 Snowberry Court Vienna (Reduced $75,000)
• 105 Elmar Drive SE Vienna (Reduced $44,000)
• 11327 Corobon Lane Great Falls (Reduced $100,000)

The properties listed are a small selection of properties available in the Tyson’s Corner area. For a full list of properties listed on MLS and private exclusives, please contact Brandy Schantz.

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Val Sotillo, Northern Virginia-based Realtor and Falls Church resident. Please submit your questions to her via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: What are the differences between buying a new house versus an existing home? Should you still have a realtor if you’ve already picked out the new construction? Do you need to be pre-approved for a loan if you are using the home builder’s partnered lender? Are there still closing costs?

Answer: The decision to buy a newly built or resale home is ultimately best made by each home buyer. There are a number of key differences you should be aware of when buying new construction that may help you decide what’s best. Here’s what to expect:

Builder Contracts

Most builders use their own contracts, not the normal Northern VA Association of Realtors (NVAR) contracts. As such, the language tends to favor the developer and it’s very important to read their contract a few times, understand what you’re agreeing to and don’t be afraid to ask questions or contest specific language you’re not comfortable with.

Higher Earnest Money Deposit (EMD)

2-3% EMD is appropriate, but most developers usually require additional security of 5-10% EMD which makes sense when they’re doing a custom build because they want you to be more invested in the finishes you’re choosing.

Negotiations

In a normal re-sale negotiation, each counter is delivered in writing with the signature(s) of the seller. Most developers will only make verbal/email counters, but the buyer is expected to put their (counter) offers in writing with signature(s). Once all terms are agreed to, the developer will finally sign.

Custom Design

Being able to select your own finishes and design a custom home is one of the most appealing reasons to buy new construction (note: not all projects allow for customization), but it’s a blessing and curse.

For some, going to a showroom to select appliances, flooring, cabinets and countertops is thrilling. However, builders are on a tight schedule and require selections to be made on time, so indecisive buyers can get overwhelmed by these choices and end up disliking the process. This is particularly true if there isn’t a model unit or it’s not modeled after your tastes.

Determining Value

In many cases, developers deliver a community that’s the first of its kind in the neighborhood. Without true comps, it’s much more difficult to gauge value and the chances of the developer significantly over or under pricing a project increases.

Given that uncertainty, some of the best deals can be had in new construction, especially at the beginning of the sales period. When there are fewer comps, you should negotiate more aggressively.

Brand New

Of course, buying new construction means you’re buying brand-new everything, with fully intact warranties. In addition to the manufacturer warranties on the systems (water heater, stove, etc.), most developers also guarantee their work for years to come. You also have the benefit of the latest codes to maximize your home’s energy efficiency.

Do You Need A Realtor? Read More

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

(Updated on 1/8/19) Even to newcomers, McLean is best known for the businesses that are based in town. However, there are many hidden gems and things to do around town as well.

If you’re new to McLean, consider this your guide. As always, drop a comment below if I missed anything!

Technically, Tysons Corner itself falls within McLean’s two zip codes, 22101 and 22102. Most of McLean is made up of single family homes and townhomes, but there are some condo and apartments buildings as well. The town is rather small and most retail can be found in “Downtown McLean” or the Tysons Corner area.

Events and Classes

Stay up to date with special events, educational classes or performances by signing up for the Community Center newsletter or searching the online portal for offerings. You can also check out the Old Firehouse, which is now the “Teen Center” of McLean.

Sign up for the Partakes Online emails from the Park Authority of Fairfax County. They’ll notify you of events (Celebrate Fairfax, 4th of July Parade, etc.) along with camps and class sign ups.

There are also local businesses that offer camps, classes, events and other things depending on your interests.

Be sure to add these annual McLean events to your calendar — McLean Day, McLean 5K, McLean Winterfest, McLean Farmers Market and more.

Kids and Parenting

If your kids are into sports, you can check out the McLean Youth Sports Programs (basketball, fencing, field hockey, flag football, football, lacrosse, rugby, squash, track & field, volleyball and wrestling). There’s also McLean Little League for baseball and softball. The McLean Youth Soccer program is also another option!

If you’re looking for a swim team, you’ll have to check out one of the local McLean Pools such as McLean Swim & Tennis, Tuckahoe Rec Club, Chesterbrook Swim & Tennis, Highlands Swim & Tennis, Langley Swim & Tennis or Kent Gardens Rec Club. Some homes are located within an HOA that has a pool (like Hamlet Swim & Tennis Club).

You can also find a gym and pool at McLean Health and Racquet or McLean Sport & Health. Another option is to check out the Spring Hill Rec Center.

McLean has a Project for the Arts (MPA) to help showcase local artists. There is a performance center called 1st Stage with ongoing performances and special events.

You can also join the McLean Moms Club which organizes playgroups, outings and events.

My favorite playgrounds in McLean are the McLean Central Park (located next to the library), and Clemyjontri Park which even has a carousel! There’s also an awesome hiking option at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve.

Also, don’t miss Child’s Play for your toy and gift needs.

You can sign up for OurKids.com, which is a weekly email roundup to find out about local events

Food

If you’re looking for something new, you can check out the Northern Virginia Magazine top restaurants or Washingtonian top restaurants.

My favorite local coffee spots are the Star Nut Gourmet, Greenberry’s and Republik Coffee Bar.

Local restaurants to check out in Downtown McLean include Rocco’s Italian, J. Gilbert’s, Greek Taverna, Kazan, Madison Deli, McLean Family Restaurant, Assaggi Osteria, Dal Grano, Tachibana Sushi, and Tama Sushi while you can indulge in dessert at Sweetbites, Fluffy Thoughts Cakes or Danielle’s Desserts.

There are many good options at Tyson’s Corner I and II for dining options. I’d try Eddie V’s, Earl’s, Lebanese Taverna or Café Deluxe.

Pets

There is no specific off leash dog park in McLean, but you’ll find other places where your canine pals are welcome. Scott’s Run Nature Preserve is often full of happy dogs.

Don’t forget to register your dog through Fairfax County.